22 hornet

Ray7756

Well-Known Member
Im looking for a rifle for long range bunnies and was looking at the .17hmr but its a rimfire and want to reload to keep costs down, so now thinking of a 22 hornet, anyone got one ???
not looking to buy at the moment just to get opinion on the calibre, from the post i have read it sounds like the one to go for, what is the difference between standard and a ,k, model ???
 
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The hornet round is a nice shooting round
its reloadable , relatively quiet and light recoil

You say you want to do long range bunnies what do you call long range as a hornet is really about 200 yards at best


the 17HMR has ammo issues that's well documented , will shoot about the same range as a hornet but more sensitive to wind


Id choose a hornet over hmr any day but then I use a .22LR on rabbits out to 100 yards I don' feel the need to shoot them at any longer ranges which suits me fine and a .222 for foxes
 
The hornet round is a nice shooting round
its reloadable , relatively quiet and light recoil

You say you want to do long range bunnies what do you call long range as a hornet is really about 200 yards at best


the 17HMR has ammo issues that's well documented , will shoot about the same range as a hornet but more sensitive to wind


Id choose a hornet over hmr any day but then I use a .22LR on rabbits out to 100 yards I don' feel the need to shoot them at any longer ranges which suits me fine and a .222 for foxes

Changed my mind about the hmr when i read of the amount of exploding guns + it cant be reloaded , already have a .22lr & a 22-250 & a .308 so looking for something for the bunnies at 100 + yards, the 22-250 does the job but doesnt leave much for the pot
 
I've had a 22 hornet for years top tool but I would like to try a 17 hornet anyone on the site own one and could give an informed opinion ,could be too light for foxes @ 150yds though.
 
17 Remington or Fireball would be another good choice. vermin capable to 350 - 400 and fox capable to 200. The 204 ruger would be another one that ticks the boxes well
 
If your after rabbits for the pot i still think .22LR

a hornet has a considerable amount of energy compared to the LR so even head shots will be destructive to the body

if you was just after longer range rabbit control and not for the pot try a hornet it would be great fun
 
The hornet round is a nice shooting round
its reloadable , relatively quiet and light recoil

You say you want to do long range bunnies what do you call long range as a hornet is really about 200 yards at best


the 17HMR has ammo issues that's well documented , will shoot about the same range as a hornet but more sensitive to wind


Id choose a hornet over hmr any day but then I use a .22LR on rabbits out to 100 yards I don' feel the need to shoot them at any longer ranges which suits me fine and a .222 for foxes

This just isn't true. I have three HMR's and have shot thousands of rounds of Hornet. They aren't in the same class of cartridge at all.~Muir
 
Go for the 'agricultural' CZ 527 American. Superb design and accuracy. I have loaded for three of them so far and the accuracy is simply out of it's class. My CZ is one of my most accurate centerfires.~Muir

This is ratty Winchester 46 grain HPs five shots at 100 yards. Other bullets shoot better!
Winchester46grainHP22Hornet75yds.jpg%7E320x480


Tho this was a kick-butt group! :lol:
 
That's good shooting Muir, I have the Brno ZKW465 dated 1949 recently been shooting cast bullets in it still working on the load, bagged three rabbits with it a few nights ago on the local golf course, first kills with cast bullets no fuss dead right there not much damage one shot through both shoulders had a 1/2" exit the other two were head neck shots no damage,load was 41gr bullet 10.1gr 2400 velocity unknown as yet, also tried some Sako 45gr fmj's great for head shots just drills a hole, I am sure sold on cast bullets for small game in the Hornet, The most expensive part of the ammo is the primer, to load 50 rounds costs $NZ 10.27 the cheapest 17 HMR is $NZ 26.00 my favourite 22LR is $NZ10.00, I can now eat most of the rabbits I shoot before only head shot bunnies were in a fit state for the pot. Robert
 
That's good shooting Muir, I have the Brno ZKW465 dated 1949 recently been shooting cast bullets in it still working on the load, bagged three rabbits with it a few nights ago on the local golf course, first kills with cast bullets no fuss dead right there not much damage one shot through both shoulders had a 1/2" exit the other two were head neck shots no damage,load was 41gr bullet 10.1gr 2400 velocity unknown as yet, also tried some Sako 45gr fmj's great for head shots just drills a hole, I am sure sold on cast bullets for small game in the Hornet, The most expensive part of the ammo is the primer, to load 50 rounds costs $NZ 10.27 the cheapest 17 HMR is $NZ 26.00 my favourite 22LR is $NZ10.00, I can now eat most of the rabbits I shoot before only head shot bunnies were in a fit state for the pot. Robert

You're my kinda guy, Robert!
I love shooting cast bullets in the Hornet and about all other small bores. My favorite is the 25-20 Winchester with a 72 grain bullet at 1850 fps. Like a 22 magnum on steroids! What bullet are you shooting?? If you get a chance to get some Reloader-7 give that a try.

As an aside, your ZKW is not the first 1949 vintage Brno I've leard of shooting cast bullets. Our Admin guy JAYB has one dated 1949 that I've coveted for years! And he has shot cast bullets aplenty through it.~Muir
 
That's good shooting Muir, I have the Brno ZKW465 dated 1949 recently been shooting cast bullets in it still working on the load, bagged three rabbits with it a few nights ago on the local golf course, first kills with cast bullets no fuss dead right there not much damage one shot through both shoulders had a 1/2" exit the other two were head neck shots no damage,load was 41gr bullet 10.1gr 2400 velocity unknown as yet, also tried some Sako 45gr fmj's great for head shots just drills a hole, I am sure sold on cast bullets for small game in the Hornet, The most expensive part of the ammo is the primer, to load 50 rounds costs $NZ 10.27 the cheapest 17 HMR is $NZ 26.00 my favourite 22LR is $NZ10.00, I can now eat most of the rabbits I shoot before only head shot bunnies were in a fit state for the pot. Robert

Cast my own bullets, thats the deal maker for me, used to cast my own when i had hand guns and also shot black powder, with everything else going in favour of the 22 hornet, thats it putting in for the variation and start looking for a gun

cheers guys

Ray
 
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You won't regret it, have just started shooting .22 hornet and it's a lovely little calibre, mine's a 527, much better than the HMR in every respect I got mine for replace the WMRvi chopped in against the .223.

I originally fancied a .17 hornet, but it's a relatively new calibre and a lot of people seem o struggle to get them to shoot. You only have to look at the number of .17H on guntrader compared to .22H to see which is probably the best bet!
 
....putting in for the variation and start looking for a gun

cheers guys

Ray

You'll get no better rifle than the CZ 527 American. Don't get the Lux with hog-back stock, get the American. You won't regret it. Check the target below. These groups were fired in a Montana 'breeze' at 100 yards using my son's 527. The Speer bullet on the left was rejected because it wasn't accurate enough! My 527 shoots equally as well. Note the 10 shot group on the right has seven in one raggety hole... That's a 1-inch square.~Muir
H-110groupsred.jpg%7E320x480
 
Don't disagree with Muir re the Brno but do it justice and top-off with a set of Conetrol Dap-Tar mounts and projectionless rings. Don't skimp on scope power either if you intend to ring every mm of accuracy from it. Something like a 4 - 18 power minimum.

K
 
Don't skimp on scope power either if you intend to ring every mm of accuracy from it. Something like a 4 - 18 power minimum.

K

I agree. I use a 4-12 with parallax adjustment on my CZ. Hornets can be a far reaching weapon. 247 Sniper has posted vids of himself busting steel plates a ridiculous distances. I have been known to thump prairiedogs at 300 yards with mine.

CZ rings that come with the 527 American do suck....~Muir
 
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Hornet is a great round. When my dad was a keeper that was the foxing tool. Use to shoot 50+ a year. I would have 1 with nv.
 
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